Zakouma + Ennedi with Chalo Africa - Chad Feb/March 2020

[RC88COR]

ENNEDI - DAY 7 - continued

 

Mourdi Depression - western edge continued

 

 

[RC88COR]

ENNEDI - DAY 7 - continued

 

Mourdi Depression - western edge continued 

 

Throughout the day we passed many wrecks left behind from the the 1987 Toyota War a Chadian-Libyan conflict. The Chadians won this war against the heavily armored Libyans using only Toyota vehicles. I have compiled some of the photos taken of these sand encrusted wrecks. It was quite astonishing. 

 

We ended up setting up camp under a huge rock formation with a lovely sunset view.

 

 

 

[jeremie]

1 hour ago, RC88COR said:

ENNEDI - DAY 6

 

Ounianga Lakes - Ounianga Serir 

 

We finally arrived at the mesmerizing Ounianga Lakes. After 2 days of travelling throught the Mourdi Depression coming upon the lakes (2 large groupings of lakes) and the surrounding salt crusted hills and rocks was incredible! The lakes are supplied by groundwater - the remanants of subterrestrial water reserves from glacial times in the region. The lakes are saline, hyper saline and freshwater; they cover an area of over 60,000 ha. It really was astounding, especially the first group of lakes we encountered - Ounianga Serir (the eastern lakes). 

 

We climbed up a huge rock for a breathtaking view of Ounianga Serir, then headed down to a lake surrounded by palms and floating reeds. It really was serenely beautiful. We then had lunch under a desert tree! Remarkable.

 

 

Outstanding pictures, this site is absolutely scenic! 

[Botswanadreams]

Ahmed is an incredible nice driver. He must have a map from all this sand dunes and rock formations in his had. We liked him very much.

No swimming in the freshwater lake at your lunch stop? We were very surprised about the cold water in this heat.      

[RC88COR]

35 minutes ago, jeremie said:

 

Outstanding pictures, this site is absolutely scenic! 

 

@jeremiethank you, yes it was incredible especially in the middle of the Sahara

[RC88COR]

33 minutes ago, Botswanadreams said:

Ahmed is an incredible nice driver. He must have a map from all this sand dunes and rock formations in his had. We liked him very much.

No swimming in the freshwater lake at your lunch stop? We were very surprised about the cold water in this heat.      

 

@BotswanadreamsHe is a masterful driver and a kind man. We could have gone for a swim, but no one did, although we did wade into the water for a bit. 

[RC88COR]

ENNEDI - DAY 8

 

Enroute to Ouadi-Rimé Ouadi-Hachim Faunal Reserve 

 

Today was a long driving day as we travelled from the Kalait region south along the western edge of the Ennedi Plateau. We stopped at another cave painting site and camped in the Sahel for the evening. We were all very excited for the next segment of the trip; the next morning we were headed to the Ouadi-Rimé Ouadi-Hachim Faunal Reserve.

 

 

 

 

[RC88COR]

ENNEDI - DAY 8 - continued 

 

Ouadi-Rimé Ouadi-Hachim Faunal Reserve - part 1 of 4

 

After leaving camp we passed a small town with many camel herders gathering for the water well. We arrived in the Ouadi-Rimé Ouadi-Hachim Faunal Reserve in the morning,  To say we were excited would be an understatement. I believe Sangeeta has done a TR on this segment of the trip, so I won't write too much, rather I will share more photos. 

 

We saw Adax, Scimitar-Honred Oryx, and Dama Gazelles; I was in awe of them all. The rewilding and conservation story behind their reintroduction to the region is remarkable. We also saw more a few more Dorcas Gazelles, but much closer this time.

 

Dorcas Gazelles
Scimitar-Horned Oryx

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Edited March 7, 2021 by RC88COR

[RC88COR]

ENNEDI - DAY 8 - continued 

 

Ouadi-Rimé Ouadi-Hachim Faunal Reserve - part 2 of 4

 

Adax

 

Edited March 7, 2021 by RC88COR

[RC88COR]

ENNEDI - DAY 8 - continued 

 

Ouadi-Rimé Ouadi-Hachim Faunal Reserve - part 3 of 4

 

Scimitar-Horned Oryx

 

[RC88COR]

ENNEDI - DAY 8 - continued 

 

Ouadi-Rimé Ouadi-Hachim Faunal Reserve - part 4 of 4

 

Damas Gazelles

Baby Ostriches

 

After seeing the Damas Gazelles and the baby ostriches, we headout out of the reserve and back to the large town of Abeche where we would spend our last night in the guesthouse before the long drive back to N'Djamena the next day.

 

We arrived back at the Radisson Blu Hotel in N'Djamena around 9pm on Day 9. We ate a late dinner and had very long showers, as we had not had the opportunity to shower or wash our hair in a week. A few of our group flew to Zakouma the next day. The trip just kept getting better and better. 

 

 

Edited March 7, 2021 by RC88COR

[RC88COR]

And just to recap.

 

TRIP ORDER:

1st - Ennedi

2nd - Ounianga Lakes

3rd - Ouadi-Rimé Ouadi-Hachim Faunal Reserve

4th - Zakouma

 

This was truly an EPIC trip, one which I highly recommend doing.

 

If you get the chance, go! 

 

Thanks for following along with this lengthy TR. 

 

 

[Botswanadreams]

Thanks very much bringing me back to Chad. What a shame that we didn't visit Ouadi-Rimé Ouadi-Hachim Faunal Reserve. I didn't know about during our planing and Sangeeta didn't tell me. 

[RC88COR]

28 minutes ago, Botswanadreams said:

Thanks very much bringing me back to Chad. What a shame that we didn't visit Ouadi-Rimé Ouadi-Hachim Faunal Reserve. I didn't know about during our planing and Sangeeta didn't tell me. 

 

@Botswanadreamsshe probably did not know about it at the time of your trip. This really is uncharted territory for eco-tourism. We saw only one other group in the Ennedi region the day we passed through Fada. Chalo Africa was the only safari agency that included both Zakouma and Ennedi for substantial periods of time. The others were focused on either Zakouma or Ennedi, or they spent only 2-3 days in Zakouma (which is totally insufficient) enroute from Ennedi to Cameroon as a overland trip. 

[Botswanadreams]

25 minutes ago, RC88COR said:

Chalo Africa was the only safari agency that included both Zakouma and Ennedi for substantial periods of time.

 

We were the first in 2019 asked Chalo Africa to organize a privat trip to Ennedi after her group trip to Zakouma. She got the connection to Eyte Voyages Tchad as ground company for us. So you were on the first official combined trip. 

[gatoratlarge]

Thanks so much @RC88COR!!  So much to look forward to in 2022!  It does look like an epic journey!  How many were in your group?

[RC88COR]

1 hour ago, Botswanadreams said:

 

We were the first in 2019 asked Chalo Africa to organize a privat trip to Ennedi after her group trip to Zakouma. She got the connection to Eyte Voyages Tchad as ground company for us. So you were on the first official combined trip. 

 

@BotswanadreamsYes, I remember seeing your TR and thinking how awesome! 

[RC88COR]

27 minutes ago, gatoratlarge said:

Thanks so much @RC88COR!!  So much to look forward to in 2022!  It does look like an epic journey!  How many were in your group?

 

@gatoratlargeYou are welcome, glad you enjoyed the TR. We had 6 people. You will have such an amazing time in 2022! And you won't have to do all the long driving days we did, as you will have charter flights connecting the trip segments. 

[gatoratlarge]

You made the long drives look fun and a great part of the adventure -- the issue for me is the limited vacation time we Americans have so it will help to fit into my vacation schedule/ leave a lot better...thanks again!

[Matias Cox]

@RC88COR

 

You immersed yourself in this adventure with joy and very enthusiasm, accepted the unexpected and received everything with an open heart. It was easy to enjoy your trip, as much as realizing that you are a great partner for a safari 

 

If you permit, Chalo Africa, in the person of Sangeeta, is to be congratulated, this TR welcomes the satisfaction of a job well done. It is a very big logistical challenge and this tour is magical, capable of making tourists dive into different worlds…

 

The Guelta crocodiles are a relic from the Green Sahara era, and any attempt to make their stay viable by inserting new specimens makes no sense (it's like seeing a ghost, it shouldn't exist - nature makes its last breaths).

 

Saharan landscapes such as Tibesti, Hoggar, Tassili, Air Moutains ... are fascinating.

 

As a lover of the conservation of our natural resources, I keep thinking about the grandiose practical results that a land (fertile soil) reclamation project can do for these people and their countries in the Sahel region. This desertification process is not irreversible, it can be mitigated / delayed and a lot of area can be recovered from the vegetal recomposition of this vast landscape. Imagine the Agricultural Sahel.

 

Thanks,

Matias 
 

[RC88COR]

14 hours ago, Matias Cox said:

@RC88COR

 

You immersed yourself in this adventure with joy and very enthusiasm, accepted the unexpected and received everything with an open heart. It was easy to enjoy your trip, as much as realizing that you are a great partner for a safari 

 

If you permit, Chalo Africa, in the person of Sangeeta, is to be congratulated, this TR welcomes the satisfaction of a job well done. It is a very big logistical challenge and this tour is magical, capable of making tourists dive into different worlds…

 

The Guelta crocodiles are a relic from the Green Sahara era, and any attempt to make their stay viable by inserting new specimens makes no sense (it's like seeing a ghost, it shouldn't exist - nature makes its last breaths).

 

Saharan landscapes such as Tibesti, Hoggar, Tassili, Air Moutains ... are fascinating.

 

As a lover of the conservation of our natural resources, I keep thinking about the grandiose practical results that a land (fertile soil) reclamation project can do for these people and their countries in the Sahel region. This desertification process is not irreversible, it can be mitigated / delayed and a lot of area can be recovered from the vegetal recomposition of this vast landscape. Imagine the Agricultural Sahel.

 

Thanks,

Matias 
 

 

@Matias CoxThank you! Yes, I totally agree with you about Sangeeta / Chalo Africa. If it was not for Sangeeta's persistance in creating this itinerary with the many logisitical hurdles involved I would still be dreaming about a trip to Zakouma and Ennedi. I would gladly take part in any of the Sangeeta Safaris remarkable pioneering adventure itineraries organized by Sangeeta of Chalo Africa. 

[RC88COR]

17 hours ago, gatoratlarge said:

You made the long drives look fun and a great part of the adventure -- the issue for me is the limited vacation time we Americans have so it will help to fit into my vacation schedule/ leave a lot better...thanks again!

 

@gatoratlargeyou're welcome

[Zarek Cockar]

@RC88CORI continue to enjoy keeping up with this TR.  And can't WAIT to get back to Chad, especially up to Ennedi, next year. 

What are the little stone constructions at the base of the cliff in the series showing the cows & goats drinking and the giraffe paintings (page 3)?  I assume they're somewhat recent.

Edited March 10, 2021 by Zarek Cockar

[RC88COR]

6 hours ago, Zarek Cockar said:

@RC88CORI continue to enjoy keeping up with this TR.  And can't WAIT to get back to Chad, especially up to Ennedi, next year. 

What are the little stone constructions at the base of the cliff in the series showing the cows & goats drinking and the giraffe paintings (page 3)?  I assume they're somewhat recent.

 

@Zarek CockarYour Chalo Africa - Zakouma Ennedi trip in March 2022 will be amazing!

If I remember correctly, that cave in particular had been used in recent years as a shelter for camel herders and the stone constructions were made for grain storage. There was also an old wooden structure used to rest camel saddles. Here are a few more photos from that cave.

[johnweir]

Wow, what a simply fantastic trip report, exactly what was required at this difficult time. Your images are outstanding, but I was personally particularly drawn to those of some of the rarest mammals on the planet. Having visited Zakouma in 2018 your report brought back some very happy memories. The Cheetah sighting as several members have pointed out was indeed a very rare sighting, the subspecies found in Chad is very poorly documented and I should imagine is critically endangered. We were fairly sure we observed a Striped Hyena (a species I had never seen) during a night drive in Zakouma but it was from a considerable distance and with binoculars so I did not include it in my species list for the trip. However on an extended trip to India 2020 (just prior to Covid restrictions), I did secure several good Striped Hyena sightings. (Certainly some would argue of a different ssp. to the one you observed however). 

In your Zakouma section you make reference to the Striped Gazelle, which I am not familiar with, could you give some details please?

The Faunal Reserve images I found fascinating, your report has certainly focussed my thoughts that I need to return to Chad soon and include the desert extension you have so wonderfully described and promoted.

Thank you again for posting, superb.